Jennifer Coolidge, Cher and Hollywood stars who go for younger partners: Experts explain why age gaps can work

Hollywood celebrities such as Cher and Jennifer Coolidge are no strangers to age gap relationships. Cher is dating a man 40 years her junior, and Coolidge recently shared details of a wild night with a much younger man.

Fox News Digital spoke to celebrity matchmaker Alessandra Conti and psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig about why relationships between celebrities of vastly different ages can actually work.

Conti explained that for her celebrity clients, age is typically a "non-issue" and mostly "ambiguous."

"With a lot of my celebrity clients, they long for a connection with someone who is like-minded and in a similar chapter of life."

"There are a variety of challenges that come into play when there is a major age gap in a relationship. Generational differences are a very real thing, so it's important for a couple to share similar values regardless of age difference."

Ludwig explained that age gap relationships for celebrities come with "additional perks."

"There is money, fame and the opportunity to live an exciting lifestyle. A lifestyle not available to them otherwise," she said. "There also can be a feeling that the partner is a prize, which increases the appreciation and reduces the stigma some age gap relationships experience."

JENNIFER COOLIDGE RECOUNTS ‘AWKWARD’ SEXUAL ENCOUNTER WITH 'PARTICULARLY YOUNG' MAN

Here is a look at celebrities who decided to date younger:

Jennifer Coolidge

Jennifer Coolidge, 61, recently opened up about being with much younger men after she appeared in "American Pie" in 1999.

"It did sort of open up the world to a much broader group of handsome men – and younger men," she recalled during a conversation with Ariana Grande for Entertainment Weekly.

"This one guy was particularly young – legal, of course, it was all very legal – but it was funny because we had to. ... The one moment was a little bit awkward because he. ... No, I won't get into the details."

"But afterwards, the next morning, I told him I needed to get a blow dry. So, he was so young, we called his mother to see where I could get a blow dry."

"It was so weird that happened on the phone, it was very clear that we were in the bed together," Coolidge added.

"Well, she gave me a good recommendation at a local mall, so it all worked out."

"The White Lotus" star did note that the young man was the "best d--k" she has ever had.

Cher

Cher has been dating a much younger man for a couple of months.

Cher, 76, and Alexander "AE" Edwards, 36, debuted their relationship in November. Since then, the two have been spotted holding hands on multiple occasions, and Cher has gushed about him on her personal Twitter.

The "If I Could Turn Back Time" singer labeled the relationship as "kind of ridiculous" during an appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show."

"On paper, it’s kind of ridiculous," she joked. "But in real life, we get along great."

She clarified, "He's fabulous, and I don't give men qualities that they don't deserve. He's very kind. He's very smart. He's very talented, and he's really funny. And I think he's quite handsome."

"I just like somebody to make me laugh," Clarkson agreed.

Cher also explained why she doesn't date older men after being asked if it was true that she intimidates them.

"If I hadn't met younger men in my life, I would have never had a date because older men just didn't like me all that much," she told Clarkson. "Do you know what I mean?"

"I've had a couple boyfriends who were hovering around my age, but they just didn't like me for some reason. Younger men don't care if you're, you know, funny or outrageous and want to do stupid things and you have a strong personality."

"I'm not giving up my personality for anybody."

James Woods

James Woods, 75, has seemingly married 33-year-old Sara Miller. The actor was photographed in early December sporting a gold band on his ring finger.

Woods also hinted at his husband status in a social media post shared to Instagram in November.

"All the staff at Musso’s are such fantastic people," he wrote along with a photo where he toasted Miller at Musso & Frank restaurant in Los Angeles.

"They brought us champagne because they hadn’t seen us since we got married. Such sweet people!"

The "Hercules" actor previously shared a photo of Miller wearing a white gown and veil to celebrate her birthday. Although it's unclear when Woods and Miller began dating, she first publicly appeared with the actor at a red carpet event in 2017. 

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David Foster

David Foster and wife Katharine McPhee have a 34-year age gap in their relationship.

Foster, 73, and McPhee, 38, married in 2019. The two first met in 2006 on "American Idol" when McPhee was a contestant and Foster was a guest on the show.

The two became friends and Foster even played at McPhee's first wedding in 2008. They were first romantically linked in 2017.

McPhee and Foster welcomed their first child together in 2021.

Foster has brushed off concerns about the age gap between him and McPhee.

"People always make the reference with Kat and I with the age difference, but I've always said there's so many things that can bring a marriage down, and age difference is just one of them. There's so many things that can go wrong. We think we have it pretty together," he told People magazine in February.

Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus confirmed he's engaged to singer Firerose in November.

Speculation about the couple's relationship status began in October after Cyrus shared a photo showing off a diamond ring on Firerose's hand.

Cyrus, 61, and Firerose, 34, met for the first time 12 years ago while he was filming "Hannah Montana," he revealed in a new interview with People magazine. The two became friends and kept in touch, according to the singer.

He eventually asked Firerose to be more than friends after he and his ex-wife, Tish, filed for divorce for the third time. The divorce news broke in April, and Firerose moved in with Cyrus shortly after.

In August, Cyrus proposed.

"Billy looked at me and said, 'Do you, do you want to marry me?' And I was just like, 'Of course I do. I love you,'" Firerose recalled.

"He said, ‘I love you. I want to make this official. I want to be with you forever,’" she added.

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